Nunchuck attacker facing expanded charges

A Yamhill County grand jury has indicted 28-year-old Kasey Heermann on two counts each of attempted murder, first-degree domestic assault, domestic strangulation and unlawful use of a weapon, all felonies, in connection with a nunchuck attack on his mother and sister.

The Lafayette resident also is facing one misdemeanor count each of second-degree criminal mischief, domestic menacing, harassment and reckless endangering in the incident, which occurred Sept. 19 at the Lafayette home he shared with his mother. The number of charges represents a significant expansion since his initial arrest.

Michael Finch of McMinnville was appointed by the court to represent Heermann, who is being held on $500,000 bail.

The defense typically seeks a bail reduction, but Finch did not file such a request. Without elaborating, he told Circuit Judge John Collins the case raised “complicated issues.”

The sheriff’s office identified the victims as Denda M. Waters, 51, of the Lafayette residence, and her daughter, Kelsay D. Winokur, 30, visiting from Florence.

Waters was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland with critical head and face injuries that cost her one eye. Winokur was transported by McMinnville Fire Department ambulance to the Willamette Valley Medical Center with serious head injuries. Both have since been discharged.

Sheriff’s officers Todd Steele and Kevin Gardner testified before the grand jury, along with Winokur. Steele gave this account of the incident:

Deputies were dispatched to Pioneer Park Mobile Estates, 1282 E. Third St., No. 82, about 1 p.m. They were summoned in response to a domestic assault involving a weapon.

Steele made contact with the victims, who both identified Heermann as their attacker. He was present at the scene, covered in blood, and was taken into custody without incident.

Steele said he located a set of broken nunchucks inside the front door. Nunchucks are a potentially lethal martial arts weapon consisting of two rods connected at one end by a short piece of chain or rope.

Heermann said he struck his mother in the head with the nunchucks two or three times, then punched her two or three times in the head with a closed fist and followed up by delivering a kick to her back. He admitted trying to kill her.

Winokur said he struck her in the head with the nunchucks while she was holding her two infant children, ages 1 month and 9 months. She said she locked herself in the bathroom, but he broke down the door, grabbed her around the neck and began choking her.

He admitted attacking her, but denied trying to kill her.

Collins scheduled a case management hearing for Heermann for 10:40 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12.